Why is a Wide Tooth Comb Good for Hair? 5 Reasons to Start Using One

What is a Wide Tooth Comb?

A ‘wide tooth comb’ specifically refers to the large spacing between the teeth of a comb. Some people mistake the term for the teeth of the comb in particular being wide but that’s not the case although many wide tooth combs do have teeth that are bigger in size as well.

Why is a Wide Tooth Comb Good for Hair? | 5 Reasons

Even though wide tooth combs are especially good for people with long hair, they also have benefits for people with short hair too as you can see below! Here are 5 reasons why you should start using a wide tooth comb in your hair care routine:

1. Much MUCH Easier to Detangle

This is especially for people with long hair – always use a wide-tooth comb to detangle. Don’t use a normal comb as you’ll end up crying tears of frustration and wish you could cut off your hair! I’m not kidding. When I had long hair, I once used a normal medium tooth comb to detangle after drying my hair and ended up with a small knot of tangles that I actually had to rip out of my hair! T.T Thankfully, I have much shorter hair now.

2. Less Hair Fall during De-tangling & Combing

For many people, a bunch of hair collects in the comb after detangling because of more friction and effort used to separate tangles when using a normal comb. A wide tooth comb helps detangle the hair more effectively without causing a lot of hair fall.

When detangling your hair, first make sure it is dry. Another hair rule is to never detangle or comb your hair when it is wet because this leads to breakage, damage and hair fall. If you suffer from a lot of hair fall during detangling, follow this simple process to make you life much more easier:

• Part your hair in the middle into two sections.
• Then begin running your fingers gently through one section of your hair until you feel no more tangles.
• Repeat for the other section.
• Next, use a wide-tooth comb to comb your hair.
• Once you’re done, your hair should be silky, soft and tangle-free.
• Now you can use your normal comb to style your hair as usual.

Note: Applying a dollop of hair cream/oil on your hair before detangling is especially useful for those of you who have a hard time detangling. Find my DIY hair cream recipe here. You can also find an effective DIY hair detangling conditioner here.

3. Prevents  Hair Breakage

Because of the wide spaces between the teeth, it’s easier to detangle hence there is no hair breakage. When you use a wide tooth comb, there is less friction compared to a medium/fine tooth comb which makes it gentle on the hair strands, preventing breakage & split ends.

4. Reduces Frayed & Split Ends

Especially if you have curly/wavy hair, combing with a wide-tooth comb helps prevent/reduce frayed ends. If you suffer from a lot of split ends, maybe it’s time you started using a wide tooth comb instead, at least when it comes to detangling.

5. Gentle on the Scalp!

If you’ve ever used a wide tooth comb before, you must have noticed how great it feels on your scalp. When combing my hair using my wide tooth cow horn comb, my scalp always felt soothed and massaged rather than being scratched painfully which is the case when using a normal comb. A wide toothed comb can be used to massage your scalp, improve circulation and relax a tired scalp. For those of you who regularly suffer from scalp inflammation & pimples, a wide tooth comb is the way to go! Never use regular combs, especially plastic ones, when you have scalp pimples, wounds or inflammation as these are harsh on the scalp and will exacerbate the problem and even lead to infection.

Can I Use Wide Tooth Comb for Wet Hair?

Many hair stylists & professionals suggest using a wide tooth comb for detangling wet hair but I wouldn’t recommend doing so because wet hair is so fragile that even a wide tooth comb can cause hair breakage, split ends and damage overtime. Even if you’re in a hurry, at least make sure your hair is somewhat dry by using a hair dryer then go ahead and detangle.

Where Can I Get a Wide Tooth Comb?

Here’s one of my favorite wooden wide tooth combs. It’s made from green sandalwood and has an warm woody scent with aroma therapeutic properties of relieving stress and tension! I also got two amazing silky and sturdy handmade cow horn wide tooth combs at a local craft shop (the one pictured above is one) that detangle my hair so fast and make my scalp feel so relaxed and massaged. I couldn’t find the same type online, however, I did find this nice and sturdy sheep horn comb that works as well.

Note: If you’re ever selecting a wide tooth comb at a store, remember to always go for the wooden/cow or sheep horn ones. These naturally hand crafted combs are MUCH better for your scalp and hair.